Palash Ghosh

Low unemployment and the promise of millions of new jobs have some in the industry seeing a chance to increase membership and lending in the Lone Star State.

Members of Credit Union South, which has lost money during the past five years, voted to approve the merger.

Alan Bergstrom previously served as chief marketing officer for a Wisconsin credit union before taking over at Exclamation Services.

Rising waters in the Cornhusker State have already caused in excess of $1 billion in damages.

The credit union saw a 50 percent increase in mortgage originations, which helped spur a significant spike in net income last year.

Credit unions clinging to an outdated name that no longer reflects the institution's current field of membership could be doing themselves more harm than good, experts say. But it's a fine line between honoring the past and preparing for tomorrow.

The $1.2 billion-asset institution has issued rewards payouts for nearly 40 years, but returns have gone down in each of the last few years.

The latest Credit Union Trends Report from CUNA Mutual shows CUs serving more consumers even as the industry continues to contract.

Events at local breweries can be a fun way to educate younger members about getting their first mortgage but credit unions must walk a fine line at such events.

The Saginaw, Mich.-based institution has yet to reveal the new name, though management indicated that it won't include a religious reference.